With all due respect for our beloved animal kingdom, I beg to differ on the "Give the turkeys a holiday reprieve" school of thought. It is my consensus that the God of the universe has given the homo sapien species dominion over the animal, fish, fowl and all things wild. It behooves us not to forget our hunter-gatherer ancestry, not withstanding the hunter-gatherers of the new millenium, otherwise known as licensed hunters in accordance with Oregon state law. Are we not forbidden hunting licenses? Let us not forsake our natural birthright as humans.

God has ordained the consumption of anything meat to eat; we are meant to eat of every herb bearing fruit, vegetable, nut and, last but not least, meat. (I tried the tofurkey one year and consequently wound up in the ER). Clearly we are meant to enjoy a turkey to celebrate and give thanks for the freedom we cherish as Americans. Even our natives ate and enjoyed turkeys with our Pilgrim ancestors.

We can still reverence the earth by partaking of her bounty, meat falls under the umbrella of God given goodies from "Mother Earth." I hereby rest my case.

A Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Georgiana Thomas, Corvallis